29/01/2013 - £1 million per annum to be disbursed over four years

The British Film Institute (BFI) has launched a Film Festival Fund, allocating £1 million per year for up to four years (2013-17). Festivals can apply to the Fund for varying levels of support depending on their scope and scale, with available funding ranging from £5,000 for a small regional festival up to £300,000 for a major festival, which can demonstrate substantial international significance. The BFI will contribute around 20% to 50% of the costs of the festival with applicants required to demonstrate the amount of partnership funding they are able to secure (for example through sponsorship, other public or private funding, or earned income).

The BFI will support two categories of festival:

Strand 1 (£500,000 per year): regional festivals catering principally to local/regional audiences, or with a narrower specialist theme that enables them to reach audiences from further across the UK. These festivals are likely to be smaller in scale, focused on audiences rather than industry, and not generally attracting industry delegation.

Strand 2 (£500,000 per year): UK festivals with an international or UK-wide reach and profile, which enhance opportunities for the UK film industry nationally and internationally and help increase audience choice.

Tim Cagney, Deputy CEO of the BFI said, “We’re pleased to offer this support for film festivals as part of our strategic priority to enhance opportunities for UK audiences, enabling them to access a wide range of British and international stories which celebrate and reflect the rich diversity of life in the UK and beyond.”